(NAPSA)—There’s good news for fans of delicious food and delightful mysteries. A caterer who is also a sleuth extraordinaire has returned in another tasty and suspenseful adventure from a writer who has been described as the Queen of the Culinary Mystery. New York Times bestseller Diane Mott Davidson is back with her 15th mystery featuring Goldy Schulz. In “CRUNCH TIME: A Novel of Suspense” (William Morrow Hardcover), Goldy cooks up big trouble when shetries to help her longtime friend and fellow chef Yolanda Garcia. When the rental house shared by Yolanda and herirrepressible aunt Ferdinanda is destroyed by arson, they move in with copturned-PI Ernest McLeod. But then Ernest is shot dead and his houseis set on fire. Concerned for her friends, Goldy invites them all to stay with her while the sheriff’s department investigates. The action really starts to heat up when another body appears. Swapping her chef’s hat for a sleuthing cap, the intrepid Goldy steps up the investigation. But she’s got to move fast. It’s crunch time to close in on a killer before he can close in on her. As a bonus, the story contains a numberof recipes for delicious dishes. Here’s an example: Crunch Time Cookies 1 cup pecan halves 1% cupsall-purpose flour % teaspoon koshersalt % teaspoon baking powder % teaspoon baking soda % pound(2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature % cup softened cream cheese 1 cup dark brownsugar, firmly packed % cup granulated sugar NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DIANE MOTT DAVIDSON CRUNCH TIME A NOVEL OF SUSPENSE @ A new mystery marks the return of a caterer who is also a sleuth extraordinaire. It’s the 15th in the series. 2 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2% cupsrolled oats 8 ounces (1% cups) semisweet chocolate chips 4 ounces (% cup) toffee bits (Heath Toffee Bits or Bits ’O Brickle) In a large frying pan, saut the pecans over low heat, stir- ring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the nuts begin to change color and emit a nutty scent. Turn the nuts out onto paper towels and allow them to cool, then chop them roughly andsetaside. Sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and bakingsoda. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until the mixture is very creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat very well, until the mixture is creamy and uniform. Add the granulated sugar and again beat very well, until you have a uniform, creamy mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addi- tion. Stir in the vanilla. Using a large wooden spoon, stir in the dry mixture just until combined. Then stir in the oats, chocolate chips, cooled nuts and toffee bits, blending only until thor- oughly mixed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and putit in the refriger- ator until completely chilled, at least three hours or overnight. Whenyouare ready to bake the cookies, take the bowl out of the refrigerator and allow the batter to warm slightly while the oven is preheating. Preheat the oven to 375F. Place silicone mats on 2 cookie sheets. Measure the batter out by tablespoonfuls, two inches apart. Place no more than a dozen cookies on each sheet. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 9-11 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are very brown and the centers are no longersoft. When you remove a cookie sheet from the oven, place it on a cooling rack for 2 min- utes, so the cookies can set up. Then use a pancake turner to remove the cookies to cooling racks and allow them to cool completely. Store in airtight containers or in zippered freezer bags. These cookies freeze well. Makes4 dozen New York Times bestselling author Diane Mott Davidson has written 15 mysteries featuring caterer /sleuth Goldy Schulz. Born in Honolulu, she currently lives in Evergreen, Colorado. She is married with three sons. To learn more, visit www. dianemottdavidson.com.
